“Well, well,” he says, hands on his hips, looking me over from head to toe. “Gabriela, I don’t believe it. All grown up.” He leans in to hug me and I hug him back. “I knew you’d be a beauty, but my goodness!”
When we separate, he holds onto my hands and spies the rings on my wedding finger.
“Some lucky man already snatched you up? I’m not surprised,” he says. He touches the diamond. “He values you.”
I’m not sure about that last part. Maybe?
“You’re blushing, my dear. Tell me how you’ve been.”
We spend the next fifteen minutes talking. Well, I do most of the talking while he listens. When he hands me a piece of candy from the old-fashioned jar he still keeps on the counter, it takes me back in time.
“What can I do for you?” he asks as I look at that candy, unwilling to eat it, not sure I’ll be able to without breaking down. Being in here reminds me of my mom. Of when things were good.
“I’m here for Gabe’s half-birthday gift,” I say.
I see the flash of something like regret that crosses his features. “How is your brother? I remember how rambunctious he was when your mother would bring him in here to pick out a new toy.”
“He’s doing all right. I’m going to move him to Sicily so we’ll be closer together.”
“Are you all the way in Sicily now? Such a long way from your father.”
I just smile.
“Well, come on now. I seem to recall a particular toy train your brother loved and there’s a new model. You think he’ll like it?” he asks, taking me to the section of trains.
I pick up the box he points to. “I think he’ll love it. And maybe something for painting? It’s his new hobby, it seems.”
“Well, painting is good for the soul. I have just the thing.”
Stefan gave me his credit card to pay for the things and it’s weird doing so. Weird to use his money. Will I always be dependent on him?
Mr. Poe wraps the packages carefully, choosing special paper and huge bows for the boxes. As I gather the packages in my arms, I think how happy Gabe will be. How surprised. I never told him I was coming. And I can’t wait to get there.
“One more thing,” Mr. Poe says as I’m readying to say goodbye. He goes behind the counter and rummages through a cabinet beneath the register. I hear him mutter and a moment later, his head pops up. “Here we are.”
He walks back around the counter toward me and holds out his hand. I look down at the small ring on his finger.
“What’s this?” I ask, touching the dragon shape.
“A mood ring. I remember you loved these when you were little.”
I take it from him, smiling. “I haven’t seen one of these in ages.”
“You used to tell me you’d know when someone was lying when you wore one.”
I slide it on my little finger, touch the smooth green stone. I know this isn’t an ordinary mood ring. The design is too intricate for that.
“Thank you, Mr. Poe. I love it.”
“You’re welcome, Gabriela.” He hugs me back. He’s barely released me when Rafa surprises us both by walking out of a door that leads to the stock room. The look on his face tells me something is wrong.
“Rafa? What is it?”
Mr. Poe stares at him open-mouthed.
“We have to go,” he says and when he moves, I see the glint of shiny metal in a shoulder holster and the smudge of red on his knuckle.
“What’s happened?” I ask as he takes my arm.
“There were men following. And we’re outnumbered. We need to go. Now.”
“But—”
“Now!”
I almost drop the boxes as he pulls me along out through the stock room and into an alley where our SUV awaits minus the driver. He opens the passenger door, his expression as he turns his gaze to the mouth of the alley making me panic.
“What’s happening?” I ask.
Once I’m in, he slams the door shut and runs to the driver’s side, gets in, and a moment later, we’re peeling out of the alley, cars honking their horns wildly as we merge with traffic. I let out a scream, catching myself on the dashboard and the door, all of this reminiscent of the last time I was in a car with Rafa.
“Put your seatbelt on,” he snaps, eyes on the rear-view mirror as he takes an illegal left.
I look back, but I can’t tell who’s who. All I see is a road full of cars, trucks and taxis.
“Who is it?” I ask, putting on my belt.
“I don’t know,” he says, just glancing at me as the car hits a pothole. “I think I lost them.”
“Did you call Stefan?”
He glances at me, nods. “It’s okay, Gabriela. We lost them. You can relax now.”
I lean my head against the headrest. “Is it always going to be like this?”
“He has many enemies.”
I process that as we leave the city.
“Where are we going now?” I ask. I know this area pretty well. I didn’t realize he did.
“I’ll take you to your brother.”
“That’s the other way. We have to go north on—”
“I know where we have to go. I don’t want to take a chance anyone is following us.”
Stefan’s words echo along with the warning bells that ring wildly in my head.
There’s nothing nice about Rafa.
I dig into my bag, pull out my cell phone.
“What are you doing?” he asks.
“I want to call Stefan.”
“It’s not necessary. He’s in a meeting.”
I scroll through the few numbers to find Stefan’s. I’m about to hit the call button when Rafa’s hand closes over mine, the pressure just a little harder than it needs to be.
“I told you that’s not necessary,” he says.
“You’re hurting me.”
He loosens his hold, shifts his gaze back to the dense traffic as he slides the phone out of my hands and puts it in the center console.
“Where are you taking me, Rafa?” I ask when we take a turn in the direction of the Verrazano Bridge.
“I told you. I’ll take you to see your brother. After.”
“After what?”
We get to a traffic light and when it turns yellow, the car in front of us stops.
Rafa mutters a curse and as soon as we’re slow enough, I reach to undo my seatbelt and open the door at once, but he’s too fast and when his hand closes over my arm, his grip is bruising, punishing.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Gabriela,” he says.
“Let me go!”
Traffic begins to move, and he doesn’t let me go as he moves with them.
“Where are you taking me?” I struggle against him but he’s too strong.
“Your father.”
“Why? Let me go!”
Cars honk their horns as he swerves through two lanes to come to an abrupt stop on the shoulder. He squeezes his hand and gives me a shake. “I’ll take you to your brother after. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“You’re hurting me now. I don’t want to see my father. I want Stefan!”
As soon as I say Stefan’s name, his gaze turns icy. “Stefan isn’t the man you think he is. You need to hear what your father has to tell. Are you going to give me trouble? I don’t want to have to knock you out.”